Bella Sicilia delivers delicious citrus to the U.S. market
Bella Sicilia delivers delicious citrus to the U.S. market
?We look to Italians, including those in Sicily, to teach us in the U.S. about food," Paul McGowan, director of preclearance programs at USDA, APHIS, plant protection and quarantine division, said in his address and presentation on U.S. import protocol to Sicilian and American dignitaries and citrus industry professionals in Catania, Italy, in early January. "The Italians, as well as the French, are considered the world?s experts on food, and their cultures have our highest respect."
The U.S. group that participated in the trip to Sicily in early January consisted of retail representatives, including Craig Carlson, vice president of produce for Pathmark; Patty Clark, strategic development supervisor for corporate produce for Safeway Inc.; and Vince Ottolino, produce buyer for Caputo?s Fresh Markets in Chicago. Other trip participants represented the wholesale, distributor, media and USDA arms of the produce business.
The goal of the event was to promote "BellaVita SweetPeel? brand Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello oranges, which are grown on the southern Italian island. Both are umbrella brands of Paganini Foods Inc., a Harrison, NY-based importer of high-quality fruits and vegetables from Italy and other countries. Celso Paganini, president of the firm, is credited with initiating the promotional trip as well as facilitating its organization.
Mr. McGowan told the group that he expects transparency and a level playing field to be established between officials in both the United States and in Italy regarding Sicilian citrus imports. The products are currently entering the United States on a commercial scale for the first time in history.
?The U.S. has the tools necessary to do with Sicilian produce imports what we have done globally," he said. "We are dealing with plant issues, not phony issues. This has to do with feeding people, and we in the U.S. take this task seriously."
Italy is 98 percent ahead of the game, according to Mr. McGowan. He told the group of more than 200 people that many countries struggle for years trying to get goods into the United States.
Preclearance, Mr. McGowan explained, is an option. By using a bullet-point slide show, he demonstrated how the preclearance process could save money, avoid delays and reduce or eliminate the chance of rejection at a U.S. port of entry. Preclearance includes:
? Commodity inspection.
? Cold treatments.
? Methyl bromide fumigations.
? Hot-water immersion.
? Pre-clearance of military cargo, personnel, household effects, mail and privately owned vehicles.
? Cold-treatment carrier/ship certification.
? Vapor-heat treatment.
Also using bullet-point slides, Mr. McGowan pointed out that a systems approach in place to minimize risk includes:
? Field inspections.
? Trapping programs and protocols.
? Automated random sampling.
? Inspections.
? Fruit cutting.
Preclearance, he said, is an integral part of the efficient movement of imports of fresh fruit and vegetables from areas of the world where insects or diseases exist that could present a risk in the United States. Preclearance expedites trade, minimalizes inspection or monitoring on arrival, provides quicker access to market and results in fewer costly rejections.
?The Spanish clementine industry not preclearing its shipments is a good example of entry failure," he said. "Had shippers followed the recommended process when live Mediterranean fruit fly larvae were discovered in the fruit after it was in the U.S. several years ago, they would have saved themselves the expense involved when subsequent shipments were denied entry."
The International Affairs Branch of the USDA manages the preclearance programs, and Mr. McGowan suggested that every shipper take advantage of the opportunity. He used "squeezing through the neck of the bottle? as a metaphor to explain the process and ultimate result.
?The work plan is the heart of the technical issue," he told the group. "It identifies the government-to-government responsibility, including pest management requirements. It involves a lot of detail, and demands some time, attention and expense. But once the "conditions of entry? have been abided by, shippers and receivers in both countries have the opportunity to enjoy free and open commerce. It's like squeezing a lot of stuff into the neck of a bottle. You have to work hard to get all the detail shoved in there, but once it passes through the neck, there is a lot of room to move around."
Maintaining an ongoing "reasonably-free-of-pests? level is then imperative or the bottleneck closes tight, Mr. McGowan explained in his example. He said that it is best for shipping countries to self-police.
?One bad grower can ruin an entire program," he said. "If trade organizations and governing agencies in Italy and Sicily can monitor themselves, they can move forward with confidence in the assurance that one bad grower will not pull the entire program down. This is tied tightly into traceability, and it indicates the importance of finding the source of a problem quickly, and then following the required protocol to prevent further incident."
Failure at the U.S. border is the worst thing that can happen to shippers who have large amounts of money tied up in their goods, and to receivers who have made space for the products, spent money promoting it and depend on the product for the revenues it promises.
Mr. McGowan?s audience was receptive, but some attendees suggested that because Sicilian citrus is shipped into Japan successfully, they do not feel there should be a problem in the United States.
?Japan is not our concern," Mr. McGowan told The Produce News. "The population of the U.S. is our concern, and we have to enforce the guidelines that have been established to protect the public."
On Feb. 20-25, organizers brought the Sicilian delegation to New York City in a continuation and reciprocation of the promotional program. More than 25 officials including regional, provincial, grower, packer, trade organization and other representatives from Sicily spent their time visiting retailer stores in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. They had the opportunity to see their product displayed in some of the newer and more modern U.S. grocery stores, such as Pathmark. It also included conferences on nutrition, trade, culinary arts and promotion and marketing.
Pete Napolitano, host of the Saturday morning "Produce Pete? segment that airs on "Weekend Today? on NBC, participated in the January trip to Sicily. He featured Sicilian citrus on his Feb. 19 television segment, which was also shared with the delegates.
The Jolly Madison Hotel "dressed up? for its Sicilian guests as well. A Sicilian "produce? cart was brought in as the hotel centerpiece for the week and was properly "outfitted? with an enormous pile of Sicilian citrus fruit for all " guests and locals alike " to enjoy.
Do these types of promotions prove effective? "BellaVita SweetPeel? citrus from Sicily can now be found in the produce departments of Stop "n Shop, Price Chopper, Acme, Safeway, Pathmark and Caputo?s stores. Patty Clark of Safeway said that the company ordered about 30 containers " 100,000 cases " of blood oranges from Sicily for the current season. The answer is an obvious and unequivocal "yes!?
The U.S. group that participated in the trip to Sicily in early January consisted of retail representatives, including Craig Carlson, vice president of produce for Pathmark; Patty Clark, strategic development supervisor for corporate produce for Safeway Inc.; and Vince Ottolino, produce buyer for Caputo?s Fresh Markets in Chicago. Other trip participants represented the wholesale, distributor, media and USDA arms of the produce business.
The goal of the event was to promote "BellaVita SweetPeel? brand Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello oranges, which are grown on the southern Italian island. Both are umbrella brands of Paganini Foods Inc., a Harrison, NY-based importer of high-quality fruits and vegetables from Italy and other countries. Celso Paganini, president of the firm, is credited with initiating the promotional trip as well as facilitating its organization.
Mr. McGowan told the group that he expects transparency and a level playing field to be established between officials in both the United States and in Italy regarding Sicilian citrus imports. The products are currently entering the United States on a commercial scale for the first time in history.
?The U.S. has the tools necessary to do with Sicilian produce imports what we have done globally," he said. "We are dealing with plant issues, not phony issues. This has to do with feeding people, and we in the U.S. take this task seriously."
Italy is 98 percent ahead of the game, according to Mr. McGowan. He told the group of more than 200 people that many countries struggle for years trying to get goods into the United States.
Preclearance, Mr. McGowan explained, is an option. By using a bullet-point slide show, he demonstrated how the preclearance process could save money, avoid delays and reduce or eliminate the chance of rejection at a U.S. port of entry. Preclearance includes:
? Commodity inspection.
? Cold treatments.
? Methyl bromide fumigations.
? Hot-water immersion.
? Pre-clearance of military cargo, personnel, household effects, mail and privately owned vehicles.
? Cold-treatment carrier/ship certification.
? Vapor-heat treatment.
Also using bullet-point slides, Mr. McGowan pointed out that a systems approach in place to minimize risk includes:
? Field inspections.
? Trapping programs and protocols.
? Automated random sampling.
? Inspections.
? Fruit cutting.
Preclearance, he said, is an integral part of the efficient movement of imports of fresh fruit and vegetables from areas of the world where insects or diseases exist that could present a risk in the United States. Preclearance expedites trade, minimalizes inspection or monitoring on arrival, provides quicker access to market and results in fewer costly rejections.
?The Spanish clementine industry not preclearing its shipments is a good example of entry failure," he said. "Had shippers followed the recommended process when live Mediterranean fruit fly larvae were discovered in the fruit after it was in the U.S. several years ago, they would have saved themselves the expense involved when subsequent shipments were denied entry."
The International Affairs Branch of the USDA manages the preclearance programs, and Mr. McGowan suggested that every shipper take advantage of the opportunity. He used "squeezing through the neck of the bottle? as a metaphor to explain the process and ultimate result.
?The work plan is the heart of the technical issue," he told the group. "It identifies the government-to-government responsibility, including pest management requirements. It involves a lot of detail, and demands some time, attention and expense. But once the "conditions of entry? have been abided by, shippers and receivers in both countries have the opportunity to enjoy free and open commerce. It's like squeezing a lot of stuff into the neck of a bottle. You have to work hard to get all the detail shoved in there, but once it passes through the neck, there is a lot of room to move around."
Maintaining an ongoing "reasonably-free-of-pests? level is then imperative or the bottleneck closes tight, Mr. McGowan explained in his example. He said that it is best for shipping countries to self-police.
?One bad grower can ruin an entire program," he said. "If trade organizations and governing agencies in Italy and Sicily can monitor themselves, they can move forward with confidence in the assurance that one bad grower will not pull the entire program down. This is tied tightly into traceability, and it indicates the importance of finding the source of a problem quickly, and then following the required protocol to prevent further incident."
Failure at the U.S. border is the worst thing that can happen to shippers who have large amounts of money tied up in their goods, and to receivers who have made space for the products, spent money promoting it and depend on the product for the revenues it promises.
Mr. McGowan?s audience was receptive, but some attendees suggested that because Sicilian citrus is shipped into Japan successfully, they do not feel there should be a problem in the United States.
?Japan is not our concern," Mr. McGowan told The Produce News. "The population of the U.S. is our concern, and we have to enforce the guidelines that have been established to protect the public."
On Feb. 20-25, organizers brought the Sicilian delegation to New York City in a continuation and reciprocation of the promotional program. More than 25 officials including regional, provincial, grower, packer, trade organization and other representatives from Sicily spent their time visiting retailer stores in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. They had the opportunity to see their product displayed in some of the newer and more modern U.S. grocery stores, such as Pathmark. It also included conferences on nutrition, trade, culinary arts and promotion and marketing.
Pete Napolitano, host of the Saturday morning "Produce Pete? segment that airs on "Weekend Today? on NBC, participated in the January trip to Sicily. He featured Sicilian citrus on his Feb. 19 television segment, which was also shared with the delegates.
The Jolly Madison Hotel "dressed up? for its Sicilian guests as well. A Sicilian "produce? cart was brought in as the hotel centerpiece for the week and was properly "outfitted? with an enormous pile of Sicilian citrus fruit for all " guests and locals alike " to enjoy.
Do these types of promotions prove effective? "BellaVita SweetPeel? citrus from Sicily can now be found in the produce departments of Stop "n Shop, Price Chopper, Acme, Safeway, Pathmark and Caputo?s stores. Patty Clark of Safeway said that the company ordered about 30 containers " 100,000 cases " of blood oranges from Sicily for the current season. The answer is an obvious and unequivocal "yes!?
